Konecranes launches new technician training centre

Konecranes is launching a new state-of-the-art technician-training centre in Sydney to provide its qualified technicians with industry-specific training on crane use, service, maintenance and inspections.

The new technician training centre, which has a strong focus on efficiency, safety and operations and standards compliance, complements their existing centre in Perth, and covers technical, electrical, product-specific, maintenance, inverter and inspector training.

“A major advantage of our training centres is that not only does it refresh the knowledge the technicians have acquired at TAFE or college, but it provides them with training specific to industrial applications, and comprehensively prepares them for real-world tasks they’ll be performing,” said Mr Martin Davies, National Technical Training Manager, Konecranes.

“The training programs involve a mixture of theoretical and practical components, and give our technicians all the required skills to be OEM and Standards compliant,” said Mr Davies.

“We send just over 60 technicians through training each year and if they are newly hired by Konecranes, they are paired with a qualified ‘buddy’ at the end of their training so that they always have someone they can seek guidance from and report back to, as they transition into their new role” he said.

“Having two training centres means we can increase the number of qualified and trained technicians at Konecranes, and provides a more convenient option for those based on the east coast of Australia.”

The training centres feature the most advanced simulators, delivered straight from Konecranes head office in Finland, so that trainees can practice using cranes and associated equipment in a safe environment that mirrors real-world conditions.

“All trainers have received a licence to train from what we call ‘Konecranes University,’ and buddies have gone through ‘buddy training.’ The courses follow a global module that focuses on safety, productivity and quality,” explained Mr Davies. “We don’t just cover Konecranes equipment either – we provide training for cranes and equipment from other manufacturers too. We’ve found that technicians who have been through the training centres have a better knowledge of the product and are subsequently able to perform their job more productively and safely.”